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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24776353">Cheer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie'>MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 Tony Stark Bingo [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Cheerleaders, Fluff and Humor, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:33:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24776353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where the Avengers are a collegiate cheerleading team making their way to Nationals.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 Tony Stark Bingo [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1598911</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>96</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tony Stark Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Tony Stark Bingo square S3 - Edwin Jarvis<br/>Creator # 3036</p>
<p>Very much inspired by the Netflix series Cheer.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is laundry detergent,” Jarvis said as he lifted a yellow plastic bottle out of the moving box and offered it to Tony. </p>
<p>Tony took it, blinking at the hefty weight he hadn’t expected. He knew about laundry detergent, but he’d never had to use it before. He skimmed the back for directions as Jarvis explained. </p>
<p>“You use the cap to measure how much to pour into each load. A full load requires a full cup, half of a load requires a half of a cup, or adjust as needed. These are dryer sheets.” A small, orange box came out of the moving box. “Use one per load, as it will help prevent static charge. Though I recommend most of your workout gear simply be hung to air dry.”</p>
<p>“That saves me money on the dryer at least,” Tony said.</p>
<p>“Indeed it does,” Jarvis replied dryly, though his lips twitched in amusement. </p>
<p>Tony smiled. His mom had offered to purchase a full moving service complete with an interior designer who would set up his college bedroom as closely as could be replicated to his bedroom in California. The difference in dimensions between the rooms certainly would’ve made for an interesting challenge for the designer. And it would’ve all been done for the convenience of Tony experiencing as little disruption as possible in his life so he could focus on the important things: his workouts, social media upkeep, and cheerleading routines</p>
<p>But Tony wanted the normal college experience, or at least as normal of a college experience as he could. Having the family butler explain how to do a load of laundry wasn’t exactly the typical college experience, but it was as best Tony was going to get. </p>
<p>He had even packed up his own stuff, with the help of Jarvis of course, though he had hired a moving company to load up the packed boxes, drive them across the country, and then unload them in his dorm room. But now it was back to him and Jarvis unpacking each box and finding a new home for its contents. </p>
<p>Tony had been flying all over the country for cheer since he was a kid, but this was his first time establishing a new home away from his parents. He wasn’t sure what to feel. </p>
<p>“Now, here’s the thing - the laundry basket.” Jarvis pulled out a mesh circle. After unclasping a few discrete clasps, the circle sprung into a tall circular container with mesh sides. “Use it or I’ll sense it even from California. Your roommate won’t appreciate your dirty laundry scattered all over the floor.”</p>
<p>Tony rolled his eyes but he didn’t complain as he took the basket and stuck it in a convenient corner of the closet.</p>
<p>His new roommate hadn’t arrived yet, and it was Tony’s stuff that currently overflowed everywhere. He had boxes and boxes of things, and he had no idea how it was all going to fit in his half the room.</p>
<p>Tony was biting his lip and considering the pile when he heard a knock at the door. </p>
<p>“Hey there. Long time no see.”</p>
<p>Tony turned and saw his best friend James Rhodes in the doorway, smiling and holding a box under one arm. Tony lunged for him, wrapping himself around Rhodey and knocking the box to the floor. </p>
<p>“Oof, okay, you don’t have to go destroying my stuff,” Rhodey said with a laugh as he hugged Tony back. </p>
<p>“Sorry,” Tony said, not very sorry. He’d replace it if he broke something. “Too exuberant a welcome for you?”</p>
<p>He hadn’t seen Rhodey in months, and only then from across the room at a competition. Tony hadn’t even been allowed to watch Rhodey perform because his own team had been warming up. He had only been able to watch the video later when fans uploaded it online.</p>
<p>It was a far cry from what their friendship used to be, but that had been when they were on the same All-Star club team. Then, they’d bantered back and forth as they learned the same stunts and same routines, competing and supporting in a way Tony hadn’t expected to find much in cheer anymore. Every cheerleader was supportive of the team, certainly, but in practice the only people to compete against were your teammates. Only half would make mat and be able to compete. </p>
<p>But the competition of teammates hadn’t managed to kill their friendship, and neither had Howard yanking Tony off Rhodey’s team and sticking him in a different All-Star group. After all that, Rhodey was forever going to be Tony’s best friend. </p>
<p>“Nah, guess it’s fine.” Rhodey pulled back and offered Jarvis a handshake. “Good to see you again, sir.”</p>
<p>“Good to see you as well,” Jarvis said as he shook Rhodey’s hand. “Is your dorm nearby?”</p>
<p>“Very,” Rhodey said, with a sneaky smile on his face that made alarm bells go off in Tony’s brain. “Like, I’m thinking that bed over there looks like it has my name on it.”</p>
<p>“No way,” Tony blurted out. “Unless you’ve been lying to me my whole life and your name is actually Sam Wilson.”</p>
<p>Rhodey laughed. “No, not quite. But I did manage to convince him to switch with me and even got it approved and everything. So, we’re roomies.”</p>
<p>Tony flung himself at Rhodey again. “You’re going to hate living with me and it’s going to completely ruin our friendship but I’m excited anyway. You’re the best.”</p>
<p>“Of course I am, and it’s going to be great. You want to build a fort with our beds? I think we should build a fort.”</p>
<p>“We should totally build a fort,” Tony said wholeheartedly. </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For Tony Stark Bingo square R2 - Sam Wilson/Falcon<br/>Creator # 3036</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re nervous!” Tony’s jaw almost dropped in shock. He’d never seen Rhodey nervous before, not even for championships. </p>
<p>Rhodey shrugged, but his hands gripped the straps of his backpack tighter. “You’re not?”</p>
<p>“Uh, no? You know how many first practices I’ve had with new teams.”</p>
<p>Rhodey shrugged again, and he kicked a rock. It went skipping ahead of them on the empty sidewalk. </p>
<p>Campus was still mostly deserted since the semester hadn’t started yet. Only athletes had been allowed to move in early, since sports teams could officially start practices today. They’d even managed to include the cheerleaders under that designation this time. </p>
<p>It was going to be the weirdest thing, Tony thought, to learn the actual cheers to shout at the sidelines during football games. He’d been doing the competitive side of cheerleading, with the stunts and acrobatics, for years. He’d gotten his GED instead of the usual high school experience to make travel easier for cheer, and so he’d never had a team that he’d needed to shout ‘go’ at.</p>
<p>He wondered if that’s all these beginning practices would be, learning the cheers for the Avengers, or if he’d be able to do something fun. Either way, he certainly wasn’t nervous. </p>
<p>They found the gym easily enough, just like Tony thought they would. No reason Rhodey needed to have made them leave so early. </p>
<p>“Here we go,” Rhodey muttered as he pushed open the door. </p>
<p>At least they weren’t the first ones. A cluster of people were already stretching on the mat, and there was Coach Maria Hill and her assistant, Phil Coulson, chatting quietly on the sidelines. </p>
<p>Maybe Rhodey was right about making a good impression on the first day of practice, Tony thought, as Maria nodded at them and Coulson scribbled something on his clipboard. </p>
<p>Tony smiled his full press smile. His new team. </p>
<p>Something in his stomach fluttered. Tony thought over what he’d eaten that day, what could possibly be giving him issues, when he realized - oh no, this was nerves. </p>
<p>He didn’t get nervous. He was too experienced to get nervous. </p>
<p>But the butterflies in his stomach weren’t listening and continued to flap their wings. </p>
<p>Tony and Rhodey found a spot along the walls for their bags, changed their shoes, grabbed a quick swig of water, and then headed to the mat to stretch. </p>
<p>“Hey,” one of the guys near them greeted as he relaxed from his toe stretch. “I’m Sam.”</p>
<p>“James Rhodes.”</p>
<p>“Tony Stark.”</p>
<p>Sam grinned. “Hey there, almost roommate. Hope you didn’t mind the switch, but your friend here put up a good case.”</p>
<p>Tony took a second glance at Sam Wilson. The almost roommate, only he was cool enough to switch with Rhodey. Tony liked the guy already. </p>
<p>“Thanks, yeah, though he’ll probably get sick of me by the end of the semester and ask you to switch back,” Tony teased as he leaned over and grabbed his toes. He felt the stretch along the back of his legs and folded himself down as far as he could go, keeping his knees locked and in place.</p>
<p>“A semester? Try a month,” Rhodey teased. “I’d say thank you but really I might’ve done you a favor.”</p>
<p>Sam laughed. “I don’t know about that. I think you owe me since it means I got stuck with that one.”</p>
<p>Sam thumbed toward the door, where two tall, muscular men had just walked through. One had brown, shaggy hair while the other had short blond hair. Tony desperately needed to follow their instagrams. </p>
<p>“How did I beat you here? You left before me,” Sam called out to them. “You’re slow, Barnes. Slow!”</p>
<p>Tony assumed Barnes was the one who flipped Sam off, rather than the blond guy who just laughed.</p>
<p>Tony changed up his stretch and eyed the guys as they walked over. Together they were complete eye candy, especially with the ripped off sleeves that showed off their biceps, but Tony’s gaze kept landing on Barnes. </p>
<p>Barnes gave Tony a wink as he gathered the strands of his hair up into a short high ponytail. </p>
<p>Tony smiled back. </p>
<p>“I’m Bucky,” Barnes said as he plopped down right next to Tony. “Nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>“Tony.” Tony leaned back, pretending he was taking a break from stretching. “You need any help on the partner stretches?”</p>
<p>“I’m so glad you offered.” Bucky’s grin was bright. </p>
<p>“Oh no,” Rhodey groaned. “Come on, it’s only the first day.”</p>
<p>“Don’t make me watch this. This is a tragedy,” Sam said, covering his eyes. </p>
<p>“Years of friendship, tossed aside just like that.” The blond guy snapped his fingers. </p>
<p>“Aw, come on, Steve, I’m just being friendly.” Bucky winked at Tony. </p>
<p>“Making the new guy feel welcome,” Tony agreed.</p>
<p>“I’ll pass on that type of welcome,” Rhodey drawled as he stretched his arms over his head. “At least from you. There’s a few over there I wouldn’t mind the friendly welcome with though.” Rhodey nodded to a cluster of women who were stretching. </p>
<p>“Hey Carol! Maria! You’ve got some fans,” Steve called out with a wave.</p>
<p>“Dude!” Rhodey hissed, but when Carol and Maria turned, Rhodey gave them a cheeky grin and wave. “What the hell?” he asked Steve. </p>
<p>“Steve’s a sophomore, knows some of the team already,” Sam explained as he gave the women a jerk of the chin and a gap-toothed smile.</p>
<p>“And he’s an ass,” Bucky tacked on.</p>
<p>“You say the sweetest things.” Steve pushed on Bucky’s knee with his foot.</p>
<p>“Hey boys,” the blond woman greeted. “Some of you seem like new faces.”</p>
<p>“I’m James,” Rhodey said, smiling wide up at them. </p>
<p>“Also James, but I go by Bucky.”</p>
<p>Sam and Tony introduced themselves, and so did Carol and Maria. They were juniors, with two years of experience on the team already, and also familiar enough with campus to tell them to just head straight off of it for dinner at Pancho’s Bar. </p>
<p>“There better be some stretching going on with all that talking!” Coach Maria yelled out. </p>
<p>“Whoops,” Tony said under his breath, directing it to Bucky.</p>
<p>Bucky grimaced and started stretching. “I think we better get used to it,” he whispered. “Steve says that when it’s <em>Coulson </em>who’s yelling, that’s when you’re really fucked.”</p>
<p>“Is that so, Mr. Barnes?”</p>
<p>Tony stifled a yelp but he couldn’t help his body tensing. Coulson had snuck up behind them somehow and was smiling down politely at them. </p>
<p>“I consider myself honored to have such a reputation.” </p>
<p>Coulson walked on, the slightest of smiles on his face. </p>
<p>“Bucky,” Steve hissed. “What the hell?”</p>
<p>“Sorry!” Bucky looked apologetic, but then when he turned away from Steve, he was hiding a laugh. </p>
<p>Tony bit his lip to smother his own. </p>
<p>A new team. Tony could get used to this. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tony Stark Bingo square K2 - Physical Therapy<br/>Creator # 3036</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Holy hell,” Tony said appreciatively as one of the guys tumbled across the floor.</p>
<p>He was doing flips, end over end and gaining speed until he did a big push off the mat. He twisted his body around a full two times, and it didn’t even matter that he lost the landing and had to somersault backwards before popping up again. </p>
<p>Tony whistled appreciatively at the ballsy trick. Double full twists weren’t anything to sneeze at. </p>
<p>“Stop throwing tricks you can’t land, Barton!” Coach Maria yelled. </p>
<p>“How am I supposed to land them if I don’t practice?”</p>
<p>“You learn to control them before you go full-out.” Coach Maria sighed and waved Coulson toward him. “How about you don’t make me give you that lecture every week?”</p>
<p>Coulson walked over to Barton, who seemed resigned to his fate. </p>
<p>“That’s Clint,” Steve said as he stood next to Tony. </p>
<p>They both were taking a breather and grabbing water before jumping back into the fray. </p>
<p>Tony had been wrong - they weren’t covering the cheers and chants for the football sidelines just yet. This practice reminded him of his try-out for the team, only the intensity was dialed up. Now, it wasn’t just Coach Maria’s watchful gaze but the heavy stare of each teammate comparing skills - and Coulson writing down whatever the results were. </p>
<p>“He’s talented,” Tony admitted, his stomach still churning. </p>
<p>He told himself there was no reason for jealousy. He needed an entire team of talent to win Nationals. It was all about the squad, not the individual. </p>
<p>But damn, Clint was a powerhouse of energy with a crazy bag of tricks and maybe Tony needed to step up his game. </p>
<p>“Like crazy,” Steve said fondly. “What’s even crazier is that he didn’t kill himself in the summer trying those same tricks on concrete and cracking his head open.”</p>
<p>“Uh…”</p>
<p>Steve shook his head. “Never mind. Come on, let’s get back out there.”</p>
<p>A redhead went whipping by them, and Tony realized she was throwing the same trick Clint just had - or no, she’d dropped one of the twists, which was for the best. She landed on her feet and stuck it, perfectly clean. </p>
<p>“Nice, Nat!” Clint cheered, holding his hands up for high-fives.</p>
<p>She shook her head, expression aloof, but a small smile snuck onto her face as she met Clint in the double high-five. </p>
<p>“<em>Oh</em>, ” Steve said, deep with understanding. He didn’t explain, but buzzed over to where Clint and Nat - and Coulson hovering behind them scratching frantic notes on his clipboard - were. </p>
<p>Tony was distracted from the view - he has his own internal rankings of where he was on the team, and needed to do some recalculations - when Bucky bumped his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Bucky said, smiling. “You going to show us those fancy Tony Stark moves or what?”</p>
<p>Tony laughed and stretched his arms before tossing his water bottle back on top of his bag.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, looks like I’ll have to step up my game.” Tony nodded to the huddle of Clint, Nat, and Steve. </p>
<p>“You’re Tony Stark,” Bucky said, still smiling. “You’ve always got something.”</p>
<p>“Right.” Tony took a deep breath, taking particular care to stretch out his left shoulder. </p>
<p>He was Tony Stark. He always had something. He was Tony Stark. He always landed his tricks.</p>
<p>He was Tony fucking Stark. </p>
<p>He nodded to Bucky and walked over to stand in line for those preparing to tumble. Sam was just ahead of him, with Rhodey stepping to the mat to start his tumbling pass just now. </p>
<p>“Go Rhodey, you go this!” Tony cheered as Rhodey started his run. </p>
<p>“Nice one!” Sam called out as Rhodey landed a whip back before stretching his body straight for a straight full layout. </p>
<p>“There you go,” Tony cheered as Rhodey stuck the landing and then turned to the imaginary crowd and smiled his big grin. It wasn’t enough to just land the trick - every moment they had to be smiling and making the pain look fun. </p>
<p>The teammates around the mat clapped and cheered, just as they had for each pass so far. It was a supportive environment, and Tony appreciated it - even though he didn’t fully trust it. Not everyone on the team would compete, when the time came, which made everyone rivals as well as teammates. Still, the expectation was to cheer regardless. </p>
<p>Tony clapped as Sam went through his tumbling pass, though Tony wasn’t paying attention. He was visualizing his own movements, which skills he would throw. </p>
<p>He needed something new, but something he was sure to land. He was Tony Stark. Eyes were on him. </p>
<p>Tony pushed himself into a series of front handsprings until he’d crossed most of the mat, then used his arms to power off the mat into a one and a half twist. </p>
<p>He felt it as soon as he did it. It was his damn shoulder again, the left one, flaring up in pain as soon as he’d landed that last handspring. It meant he didn’t push off hard enough to get his body as high into the air he wanted for the twists, but he forced himself to rotate around. He just barely stuck the landing.</p>
<p>He threw his chest up and out and smiled like it was a competition. It hadn’t been pretty, but he’d stuck it. His teammates cheered, loud enough to be more than just polite golf claps, and Tony breathed deep. </p>
<p>No one needed to know his shoulder was on fire now, and on the first day of practice. Damn it. </p>
<p>Tony stepped aside on the mat, clearing the space for the next run. He waited a few moments for the attention to slip off of him before he reached for the shoulder and massaged the muscle. </p>
<p>“Tony, come here,” Coach Maria called out from her observation place of the entire floor. “Go ahead, Carol, I’m watching. Which means you better point those toes!”</p>
<p>Tony tried not to feel all the butterflies that had come back to live in his stomach as he walked over to Coach Maria.</p>
<p>“That was a nice pass,” Coach Maria commented to Tony though her eyes stayed on where Carol was flipping across the mat. “But you needed more height off that last back handspring. I think you know that though.”</p>
<p>“I do,” Tony confirmed with a nod.</p>
<p>“I think your shoulder is what the problem was, is that right?”</p>
<p>“That time, yeah,” Tony said, dancing around the truth. </p>
<p>Cheerleaders lived in a constant state of aches and pain. Complaining was only when it was serious, and Tony knew he could still practice on it. </p>
<p>“Congratulations, you get to be the first one of the season to visit Strange,” Coach Maria said dryly. “I can’t believe it’s not Clint. I was sure he was going to set a record.”</p>
<p>“What?” Tony asked, bewildered.</p>
<p>“Stephen Strange is our head athletic trainer. He and his assistant Benedict Wong will check out your arm and create a physical therapy plan if that’s what's needed.”</p>
<p>Tony scoffed. “It’s not that bad.”</p>
<p>“They’ll be the judge of that.” Coach Maria pinned him in place with her sharp gaze. “I know what your father thinks of injuries, and let me be clear that I don’t hold to that. That’s not how I run my gym. Don’t be an athlete I can’t trust with their own health, Tony Stark. Know your limits.”</p>
<p>Tony clenched his jaw shut. He’d been in this sport since he was four. He knew his limits, but he also knew when not to argue with a coach. He nodded.</p>
<p>“Go ask Barnes to take you to Strange and Wong. Now works.” Coach Maria turned back watching another teammate tumble across the mat. “But I’ll expect you back by the end of practice.”</p>
<p>Tony trudged away, jaw set. </p>
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